Transporting slabs of heavy material presents particular challenge given the weight, size, and potential for breakage of hard material configured as a slab. A variety of devices are available to assist in handling and transporting large slabs of marble, granite, glass, or otherwise flat, hard, and heavy objects. A stone slab may be transported between cutting area finishing area, staging area and worksite using devices such as a wheeled cart or any other like means. However, unique problems arise when handling stone slabs due to their sheer size and weight The large and unwieldy nature of a typical slab gives rise to additional during maneuvers such as ascending inclines, negotiating corners and the like.
Stone slabs are generally supported in an upright position during transport in order to prevent breakage and to allow a proper fit through restricted spaces. In addition, breakage is more likely when a slab is carried flat, not only due to increased probability of contact with obstacles but because of the inherent weakness of a slab in the cross sectional (horizontal) direction. Although the upright position is most suitable for slab transport, the slightest tipping or urging in a lateral direction must be avoided.
Currently, carts exist that assist in dealing with the sheer weight of a stone slab. Maneuvering the stone slab over worksite obstacles while maintaining upright stability may still be problematic for such carts. Some carts, in order to handle the sheer Weight of the heaviest slab likely to be encountered are typically constructed with small diameter metal wheels. Other carts are limited by their fixed physical configuration which arises in an effort to accommodate slabs of different sizes.
In addition to the handling and transportation limitations as mentioned above, there are certain other disadvantages faced by the stone slab handling facilities such as, retrieving a single slab for display from a stack of slabs and retrieving multiple such single slabs of different variety for review and selection by customers.
In addition to the disadvantages already mentioned above, other disadvantages are known to those skilled in the art. For example, rubber tires are used as a replacement for aluminum or resin rollers, they are nevertheless disadvantageous in that they are of a solid rubber construction. Solid rubber tires are known to present many of the disadvantages as with the metal rollers in terms of leaving marks or causing physical damage especially when more delicate surfaces are encountered.
Therefore, there is a need for a slab handling system that can handle slabs and an inventory of slabs efficiently and at the same time also provide for an effective display system of slabs.